Pilot program brings "connected" technology to Chattanooga

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WRCB) -
City transportation officials want to make traveling around the Scenic City more efficient, especially for trucks.

Council members gave them the go ahead Tuesday to take part in a pilot program that will start testing connected vehicle technology or CV technology.

Some cities are already using this type of technology. San Antonio uses CV technology with their bus system to help keep buses on schedule and to reduce traffic. Through GPS, the bus can “request” a green light when it's behind schedule and approaching a busy intersection.

Chattanooga will act as a test site for the Connected Vehicle Pilot Development project that also involves teams from the University of Tennessee Knoxville and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

City Transportation Director Blythe Bailey broke down the pilot's plans Tuesday before council members. He says his team will use CV technology to focus on making truck traffic more efficient.

“If there's a delay several miles ahead, a truck driver can decelerate and travel at a lower speed and save gas rather than get to that incident and stop at a stand-still and waste gas,” Bailey said.

Think about CV technology like GPS apps that allow you to see and report incidents along roadways in real time. The software with this program will work along the same lines.

“That allows drivers to make choices for how to move around,” he added.

The best part—it's all paid for through a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Bailey says his team will get to keep the software when the program is done.

“It can make our roadway systems work a lot better, improve safety and fuel efficiency and lower pollution. All these things through technology and communication,” Bailey said.

Bailey says the pilot program will come in two phases. His team will now apply for the first phase that will last for one year.